1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to secondary containment apparatus and process to control valve or pipe fitting seepage. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a one piece container which covers a valve or pipe fitting and prevents leaking fluid from the valve or fitting from contaminating the environment. The apparatus can be installed quickly by one or two people over an existing valve assembly without taking the fluid system out of service. The apparatus doesn't interfere with the operation of the valve handle, can easily be removed, and allows for observation and drainage of accumulated seepage from the valve assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In today's environmentally conscious world, contamination of the earth and ground water has impacted all aspects of piping systems that potentially carry such items as industrial chemicals, petroleum products, and even organic waste. It is frequently unacceptable to permit seepage from piping systems, and the valves or fittings associated therewith, to flow to the ground.
The prior art systems and apparatus for secondary containment were generally of two types. The first, and often most costly, is building a reservoir or catch basin under the valve to collect seepage. These prior art systems had to be waterproof, large enough to contain seepage and water accumulation from such weather events as rain, while also having a means to empty the seepage. Installing these systems to conform to strict environmental codes regarding open receptacles containing harmful chemicals that are accessible to wildlife, is often expensive.
The second type of containment systems often seen in the prior art are containers which were integrated into the pipeline while the pipeline and associated valve were installed. These prior art devices often enclosed the entire valve or fitting and made the valve handle inaccessible unless the containment device was completely removed. These systems were often bulky, non-flexible, and required extensive time to assemble and disassemble.
Other containment systems require the fluid system to be taken out of service and the valve disassembled to install.
Furthermore, it is understood that valve wrapping is a common practice in prior art for insulating a valve from freezing or preventing a leak from spraying or shooting out where it could come in contact with people or sensitive equipment. Unfortunately, these prior art wrapping devices didn't prevent seepage from contacting the ground or meet the further objectives of the current invention.
The prior art also fails to provide an apparatus that is inexpensive, easy to assemble and disassemble, provide visible inspection, allow for drainage of seepage, be installed on preexisting valves while in service, and can be installed on pipelines or valves of various diameters.